Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2013 Dates

Are you ready for a night full of tricks, treats and MAGIC???

Then make plans now to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

This annual event is held in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom park on select nights in September and October.  Dress up in a fun, family-friendly costume, and trick-or-treat your way through the park with your favorite Disney pals.

Here are the dates for 2013:

September 10
13
17
20
24
27
29
October 3
4
6
10
11
14
17
18
20
22
24
25
27
29
31
November 1st

This event requires an additional ticket for admittance to the party.  Ticket prices start at $59 for adults (10+) and $54 for children ages 3-9.

DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE: Week #4

Movies of the week:

"Peter Pan"

"Beauty and the Beast"

It's Pirates and Princesses week here at DDwC!  Enjoy these two beloved Disney classics for week #4.  There's something for everybody!
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HISTORY:  "Peter Pan" is Disney's 14th feature film released in 1953.  From pirates to fairies...to mermaids and lost boys...this movie is filled with fantasy and excitement for everyone to enjoy.  Have you ever taken a flight with Peter Pan in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland?  Well, this week we can enjoy the flight right from our living rooms!  Off to Neverland!!!  Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning!

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Treasure Necklaces
What are pirates best at?  Why, finding treasure of course!
For this snack, let your little pirates in on the fun!  They can help make the treasure necklaces with you! Simply pre-cut yarn into appropriate necklace lengths and use gift wrapping tape to make aglets at the ends for easier threading.  You can choose any candy or cereal with a hole in the center to thread onto the necklaces (just make sure that it is easy for the kids to bite in two).  For an added bonus, you can turn this activity into a fun opportunity to learn...start the necklace with a color pattern and let your child continue making the necklace using the same pattern.

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HISTORY:  "Beauty and the Beast" is definitely a "tale as old as time," and a lovely one, at that!  Disney released it's version in 1991, and it marked the big 3-0 for Disney feature films!  This movie is grand in every sense of the word.  Including the groundbreaking computer animated ballroom scene!  At this time, Pixar developed a computer animation program that would allow for more realism and depth within the movie's background, and what better place to debut this amazing new technique than in the grand ballroom.

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Grey Stuff...it's delicious!
As suggested by our good friend Lumiere, "Try the Grey Stuff, it's delicious!  Don't believe me, ask the dishes!"  You can even get your very own order of "Grey Stuff" at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant in new Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.  To make your very own "Grey Stuff" at home, make instant vanilla pudding and stir in a touch of black or grey food coloring.  To make a fluffier version, simply stir in some thawed cool whip to your liking.  Yum!

The Grey Stuff, as served by the Be Our Guest Restaurant

You can check out more of the new "Beauty and the Beast" additions to new Fantasyland here.

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This Wednesday's blog post will be fan submitted Disney Movie Challenge pics from weeks #1 - #3.  It's not too late to submit your pics!  

This week is the perfect opportunity to dress up like pirates and princesses while enjoying the DDwC Disney Movie Challenge.  Don't forget to take pics, and submit them via Facebook and they will be shared on the blog!

HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!

Candice

DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE: Week #3

Movies of the week:

"The Three Caballeros"

"Monsters University"

This week is all about friends!  Join the "old gang,":  Donald, Jose & Panchito, and the "new crew,":  Mike, Sully & all of their college buddies as we watch these two great movies!
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HISTORY:  "The Three Caballeros" is Disney's seventh film which was released in 1944.  This movie is a fun mix of animation and live action with three crazy birds:  Donald, Jose and Panchito!  This movie takes a look at Latin American culture through dance, art and music.  You may have noticed that the boat ride, "Gran Fiesta Tour" in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot features the Three Caballeros!  It's a lot of fun to spot all of the Donald, Jose and Panchito appearances throughout the ride.

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Cheesy Quesadilla Bites
This fun snack can be made many different ways.  Simply lay out a flour tortilla and sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese over half of the tortilla.  Fold the tortilla over (in half) and either bake in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt or cook it on a George Foreman type counter-top grill until cheese melts.  There are many add ins you can play with depending on how picky your kids are.  You can try:  canned shredded chicken, mexican seasoning, a thin layer of refried beans, serve with salsa, etc.   Once the quesadilla is cooked, use a pizza cutter to cut into strips or triangles.  Yum!

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HISTORY:  "Monsters University" is Disney Pixar's 14th feature film, and of course is the much anticipated prequel to "Monsters Inc."  Pixar has already done 3 sequels, "Toy Story 2," "Toy Story 3," and "Cars 2," and they have had great success with all of them.  This is the first prequel for a Pixar movie, and it is sure to "scare" the laughter right out of you!

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  "Mike and Ike" or "Junior Mints"
How about enjoying some fruity Mike and Ike snacks in honor of everyone's favorite little green monster, Mike Wazowski?  Or you could go with the classic Junior Mints to go along with the more youthful versions of the monsters we have already learned to love!

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Next week I will post our first set of DDwC Disney Movie Challenge fan pics!  Make sure you submit your pics via Facebook, and you will be featured on the blog!


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE: Week #2

Movies of the week:

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Monsters Inc."

Let's have some whimsical, imaginative fun this week!  This is also a good opportunity to prepare to see the new "Monsters University" out in theaters now!

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HISTORY:  "Alice in Wonderland" is the thirteenth full-length animated theatrical feature from Walt Disney.  It debuted in theaters in the summer of 1951.  Alice has certainly stolen the "hearts" of many Disney fans throughout the years.  This colorful & whimsical movie is so beloved that Disney released a live-action, 3D, more grown-up sequel in 2010.

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Tie-Die Cupcakes
Simply prepare your white or yellow cake batter per the instructions on the box.  Then separate the batter into bowls (depending on how many colors you plan to use - 3-5 colors).  Use food coloring to color the batter.  In each cupcake tin, place a small amount of each colored batter.  Bake per the instructions on the box.  Top with your favorite icing / sprinkles, and presto...crazy, tie-die cupcakes!

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HISTORY:  "Monsters Inc." is Disney Pixar's fourth full-length animated theatrical feature.  This movie boasts an incredible cast of actors, including Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Jennifer Tilly, Bonnie Hunt and of course John Ratzenberger who has voiced a small part in every Pixar movie to date.  Who is your favorite voice behind the monster?

Some of the Pixar characters voiced by John Ratzenberger, including the Abominable Snowman from Monsters Inc.

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Pillsbury - Monsters Inc Sugar Cookies
These cookies are a super simple and delicious movie-watching snack.  You can find them in the refrigerated Ready To Bake cookie section of the grocery store.  My favorite part about them is that my kids can eat them without making a huge mess!  All you have to do is open the package, place the pre-cut cookies on a cookie sheet and bake them for 10 minutes!  The kids love the cute picture of Mike Wazowski on the cookies, and moms love the ease of a fun snack.  Awesome!

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Keep sending your DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE pictures to Disney Days with Candice on Facebook, and they will be featured on the blog!


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

Disney Movie Challenge: Week #1

Movies of the week:

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

"Toy Story"

What better way to kick-off our Disney Days with Candice DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE than with the two movies that started it all!?!  

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HISTORY:  "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was Walt Disney's first full-length animated theatrical feature which debuted in theaters in 1937.  It was wildly popular and sparked the beginning of the animated movie craze.  Walt Disney won an honorary Academy Award in 1939 for the movie (one statuette & seven miniature statuettes) for the film due to it's significance in the industry.

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Apple Slices with Caramel Dip

Apples are the perfect snack for this Walt Disney classic, and of course a little caramel would make the perfect "poison."  If you are like me, you can take the easy way out by purchasing individual portioned, pre-sliced apple caramel dippers in the fresh produce section of the grocery store.  Another good option is an individual-size "foodles," a fun, Mickey-shaped snack pack of apple slices, grapes and cheese.

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HISTORY:  "Toy Story" was the first full-length animated theatrical feature from Pixar studios released in 1995.  This movie revolutionized the world of animation with computer-based animation!  Thanks to the good folks at Pixar, animation has made a huge shift from hand-drawn slides to computer animated images.  This shift has not only taken place on the big screen, but also in the world of television.  In 1996 John Lasseter won an Academy Award for Special Achievement to recognize his development and use of techniques that made the first full-length computer animated feature possible.  The animation for this movie took more than three years to complete!

THEMED MOVIE-WATCHING SNACK:  Pizza Planets!

This is another simple, yet fun, themed snack to enjoy while watching "Toy Story".  Who doesn't love Bagel Bites!?!  I know my family does!  They are the perfect planet-shaped, bite-sized snack to eat while watching Buzz and Woody navigate the other-worldly space-port known as Pizza Planet!

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I look forward to taking this DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE with you guys, and I would love to see how you are enjoying the movies!  Tag Disney Days with Candice on Facebook in pictures of you, your family, and your friends taking part in the DDwC DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE, and you may be featured on the blog!  

HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!

Candice

DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE!

Join me and take the Disney Days with Candice DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE!

This is sure to be easy and FUN!

Each week we will watch two Disney/ Pixar full-length animated theatrical features (there are 67 in all).

I will announce the two movies of the week every Monday.
I will also give you some fun ideas for themed movie-watching snacks.

By mid-February we will have watched every Disney and Pixar full-length animated theatrical feature out there!

Take this opportunity to watch these classic animated movies (some for the first time and some for the hundredth time) through fresh eyes, and enjoy sharing the experience with your friends and family!  Make it a scheduled family movie night, or a Disney marathon with friends.  Whatever you do...however you decide to enjoy this challenge...have fun and experience the MAGIC!


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

Hong Kong Disneyland - Let's Eat!

Before heading to Hong Kong Disneyland, I asked you, my readers, what you would most like for me to report on.  The vast majority said, "FOOD!"  So here it is...the Hong Kong Disneyland Food post!

As you all might imagine, the food options at Hong Kong Disneyland are very different from the choices in Orlando.  From meals to snacks, there is no shortage of interesting dining opportunities!

Pictured above are some of the meal options available in Adventureland and Fantasyland, including:    Sweet & Sour Pork, Fujian Fried Rice, Scrambled Eggs & Shrimp, Seafood Fried Rice, Seafood Pizza, Fish & Chips, Steamed Pork Ribs & Pumpkin with Rice, and Japanese Curry Pork Chops. 

For lunch, we chose to eat in Fantasyland at the Royal Banquet Hall.  It has diverse options, with several cafeteria-style stations.  It also has that Disney Magic that just draws you in!

The atmosphere in the Royal Banquet Hall is far grander than cafeteria-style.  Throughout the dining hall are beautiful statues of several of the princesses dancing with their handsome princes, stained glass windows, dark wood tables, chandeliers and of course many costumed cast members keeping everything neat and clean.

We chose to sample food from a couple of different stations within the Royal Banquet Hall.  I had the Hawaiian Pizza with Tomato Soup, and my husband had the Baked Pork Chop & Rice with Tomato Soup & Garlic Bread.  We ended the meal with Mango Pudding in a Mickey Mouse cup.

The pizza is topped with ham, crab, pineapple, bell pepper, thousand island dressing & pesto.

 The pork chop is covered in mushrooms and cheese and served over rice.

The mango pudding is in the Mickey Mouse cup on the left.  In the Mickey cup on the right is fruit-filled Jello.  The pudding is a consistency much thicker than the pudding we are used to here.

Another option available at the Royal Banquet Hall is sushi.  There is even a Mickey-shaped sushi selection!!!

Hong Kong has an interesting mix of authentic Asian fare and long-standing British traditions.  Evidence of this can be seen in Hong Kong Disneyland, as some restaurants offer Afternoon Tea.

And of course, who doesn't enjoy a nice cool Disney ice-cream bar?  I sure do!
My husband went with the classic Mickey Ice Cream bar, while I was a little more adventurous with a Sesame Ice Cream bar.  It was a nice little break in Tomorrowland.

The Sesame Chocolate Bar is filled with sesame ice cream (a purplish/grey colored, mild-flavored ice cream), and it is covered in crispy rice chocolate (think Nestle crunch).  Very good!

HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!

Candice